The prose of E.J. Mellow is one of my favorite things. The first book in this stand alone series captured my heart slowly. This second book took me on a wild ride along the pirate ridden seas. I would consider this a slow- to medium paced fantasy which is just perfect for me. I also really like that this is a standalone because I feel all fantasies are being thrown into series.

The romance was what in the end held my heart. The slowburn, the enemies to lovers, the tension alongside a fantastic adventure.

"Dance of a Burning Sea" by E.J. Mellow invites readers into the mesmerizing world of Aadilor, where magic, pleasure, and treacherous alliances coalesce. The story unfolds in the hidden enclave of the Thief Kingdom, guarded by the Mousai, a trio of formidable sorceresses. At the heart of the narrative is Niya Bassette, a dancer with a potent gift, whose life becomes entwined with the infamous pirate lord, Alōs Ezra.

Mellow weaves a tale of intrigue and danger, laced with the complexities of power, secrets, and simmering attraction. Niya, carrying a heavy secret that could unravel the delicate balance of the Thief Kingdom, finds herself at the mercy of Alōs, who seeks to exploit her vulnerability. The dynamics between the characters are expertly crafted, with the tension escalating as Niya makes a deal to secure her freedom, only to find herself bound to Alōs's pirate ship.

The narrative takes readers on a tumultuous journey through deadly waters, treacherous crews, and the complexities of Niya's own emotions. The author excels in creating a vivid and immersive world, where dark deeds and noble hearts often intertwine. The dance between Niya and Alōs, fraught with danger and desire, adds a layer of intensity to the story, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.

Mellow's prose is evocative, capturing the essence of Aadilor and the high stakes of the characters' choices. The pacing is well-executed, maintaining a balance between suspenseful moments and the development of the intricate relationships within the narrative. The world-building is rich and atmospheric, drawing readers into a realm where every twirl of dance and turn of the plot holds the promise of both pleasure and peril.

"Dance of a Burning Sea" is a captivating journey into a world where intrigue and magic collide, and the boundaries between ally and adversary blur. E.J. Mellow's storytelling prowess shines through, delivering a tale that enchants with its vivid imagery, complex characters, and the enthralling dance of emotions. This book earns a solid four stars for its ability to transport readers to a fantastical realm and keep them enthralled with a narrative that is both alluring and perilous.

I LOVE this series! This was a delightful read full of adventure, magic and best of all, pirates.
One thing I love most is the banter between the Bassette sisters and how important family is to all of them.
The world-building was rich, I enjoyed the pacing and Niya’s character development was excellent. As for the romance? The enemies-to-lovers/slow-burn was amazing and so rewarding! Niya and Alos were perfect for each other.

"Embark on an enchanting journey with 'Dance of a Burning Sea,' the thrilling second book in Mellow's captivating Mousai series. This slow-burn fantasy romance promises an enthralling blend of swashbuckling adventure and magical allure. Whether you're a devoted fan of the series or new to the world of Mousai, this standalone novel is a delightful treat. Experience the beautifully woven magic system that adds just the right touch of wonder, while the story effortlessly balances action and romance. Prepare to be swept away by the timeless tale of two intriguing characters—a daring pirate and a mesmerizing fire dancer—whose paths cross in a spellbinding enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance."

Dance of a Burning Sea is an utterly enjoyable and light fantasy romance, someth Perfect for the first time reader or not sure if they want to read fantasy romance, it’s a great read, addictive and I couldn’t put it down, the tension was fantastic , I definitely recommend this to any fans of Romance and Fantasy

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you so much E.J. Mellow, Montlake, and Netgalley for sending me an eARC to read and give an honest review!

*This review is based on the final copy of the book, not the eARC*

"'You raised us to as thieves and mercenaries. Scheming is inevitably afoot.'"

I'm a year late, BUT I finally got around to reading this one! I absolutely ADORED it. Dance of a Burning Sea has pirates, the found family trope, and a well-written enemies tolovers romance!

First of all, the difference in everything from book 1 . . . the writing was much clearer and easier to read (I didn't find myself skimming often, if at all; if I had the time to read this book in one sitting, I would have), the worldbuilding much better explained, and the plot was AMAZING. It's a daring adventure on the high seas with an infamous pirate captain (who is a LOT like Captain Hook from Once Upon a Time) and a ragtag crew, and the reader got to see a lot more of the world.

Secondly, the character development and slowburn romance between Niya and Alōs was believeable! From the get-go, I got the burning hatred between them, and from the time of their bet, it was a VERY slow love story. I loved how we also got to see how Niya went from being impulsive to thinking things out (while still maintaining her fiery spirit), and Alōs from being cold and closed-off to being open and caring (while still maintaining his ruthlessness). I also enjoyed their powers being opposites (fire and ice/water always go well together).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this pirate adventure! I look forward to reading about Arabessa's story in the next book!

Another amazing book by EJ Mellow. I think I prefered this one to Song of The Forever Rains (the first book of this trilogy). I absolutely loved the tension and buildup of this story, I really couldn't put my book down. We were able to discover more of the world of Aadilor and the Thief Kingdom. I really enjoyed how this book is a standalone, but this is, in the chronological order a things, a follow-up of the first book. It is amazingly well done for both readers of the series, and first time reader. I would recommend this book for any fans of fantasy, adventure and romance books (and pirates! for this one).

It was such a nice read. The world building was so well written and easy to interpret. Loved the characters and their personality. It was a bit slow at times for me but nonetheless it was super good. So ready for the next books.

This book was an utterly delightful and addictive read, featuring suspense, thrills and a wonderful found family. Plus, pirates!

The central romance was completely enthralling. The enemies-to-lovers slow burn here is superb. I was totally absorbed by Niya and Alos’s story.

This book is the second in the series. I liked the first but honestly thought this one was even better.

I want to like more about this series. I think the author has such great potential, but there’s something so inherently repetitive about the writing.

I haven’t bonded with the characters like I wanted to because they irritate me more than anything. And I think the main plot points lack ‘oomph’ to drive the story forward.

This sequel, takes things to the next level. It's a perilous journey on rough seas. And, like most journeys, this book is laborious.
Niya's book was enjoyable, but not nearly as much as Larkyra's... Both are very well written, but I believe it comes down to personal preference.

Mellow had been one of my all-time favourite authors since I read the Dreamland series years and years ago. I'm absolutely in love with her imagination, and I keep falling more with every book I read.

DID NOT FINISH! (DNF)
Got a few chapters in only to realize it’s not that good, so total dnf for the foreseeable future.

4 stars

Dance of a Burning Sea, the second in Mellow's Mousai series, is a delightfully swashbuckling, slow-burn fantasy romance that can be read as a standalone or as part of the greater series. Its magic system isn't aggressively complex, there's just enough action to move things along, and we have a classic enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance between a pirate and a fire dancer. What more can you ask for?

Having not read the first book in this series, I was a bit nervous to drop into this world with no frame of reference. Thankfully, Mellow does a wonderful job of establishing the world quickly and I never felt like I was missing anything by not starting with the beginning of the series. While the page length also intimidated me, I found this story really engrossing and I found myself constantly looking for excuses to either listen to the audiobook or finish a chapter or two. Did I still think that it could have been about 50 pages shorter? Yes. Did I not mind at all? Also yes.

I'm definitely glad that I didn't let my hang-ups with this book prevent me from reading it because Dance of a Burning Sea ended up being utterly enjoyable! It's absolutely perfect for readers who are interested, but a little afraid, to delve into the genre of fantasy romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review!

I found the cover and blurb quite intriguing and that’s why I wanted to read this story. However, I haven’t read any of the previous ones and unfortunately don’t think I will be reading any further book either.
The characters and story line as well as the conflict were quite confusing at times and I couldn’t find myself like I could grab it and make sense of whatever it’s actually happening.

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy

I want to like this series more than I do. There is just something about the writing that is seems very novice and repetitive. The characters come off as spoiled and whiny rather than charming and the adventures seem to wrap up too nicely. The trials and conflict that would make the story more interesting are just not told well enough to make me invested and I found myself disinterested in what was going to happen. I most likely will not read the last book.

This is far better and more interesting than the previous book. I love the adventures, the excellent enemies to lovers dynamics, especially the tension. Well done, I will definitely read the next book!

I thought I was going to like this one a lot more than I did but… it just seemed to drag on for me. Naya was one of my favorites in the last book, but she started to get a tad annoying for me during this one (not terribly, just a bit). It was almost unbearable, though, to read the words “by the lost gods” or “by the Obassai Sea” 100+ times. Making up catch phrases for different worlds can be fun… but don’t overuse them, at risk of making the story so much more annoying than it could be. I love pirates and adventures, so I really wanted to LOVE this book. Instead, I’d give it a fair “meh” as a rating.

dance of a burning sea had me literally GASPING for air. it SERVED. alos and niya will live in my head rent free for the rest of time

it is enemies to lovers at its core, and i'm not talking about a few snarky remarks here and there. they are actual enemies that FIGHT. they hold nothing back and i am simply in LOVE. you could cut through the tension with a sword.

i have a weakness for pirates. i am sure i developed it at some point during my formative years and it has followed me my entire 20 years of living. and the best part about pirates in this book? they actually PIRATE. they are morally grey, they take no prisoners and aren't afraid to do bad things.

you may be asking, why are you so happy that pirates are doing pirate-y things? a great question! it is because i read so many pirate books and the pirates are just so... dull. they live on a ship, smell and that's about it. whereas alos and his crew of outlaws are pirate pirates. thank you e.j. mellow.

alos and niya are an incredible couple. they fit so well together and the slow burn was utterly delicious. i cannot wait for book three!

I read the first one of this series when It was available for free on Kindle Unlimited. This was a nice continuation of the series. It's written very beautifully, but it's not the sort of story that sticks in my mind afterwards.